We understand that life sometimes throws up unexpected surprises which may prevent you from joining us on one of our trips after you’ve signed up, so here are the cancellation and refund policies for the different trips we run.
Summary: Let us know ASAP if you can’t come.
Day and Evening Outdoor Caving Cancellations
When people cancel on caving trips, it causes a great deal of stress if it happens after groups have already been created. The organization of these trips requires careful planning and coordination.
How to cancel: Message The Caving Crew ASAP
When to cancel: As soon as you can.
When you can get a refund: if you cancel before signup closes.
If you cancel before signup has closed, we’ll mark you as “cancelled”.
If you cancel after signup has closed, we’ll record your attendance as a “late-bail”, and if you don’t show up, we’ll record a “no show”.
Places are not re-saleable or transferable.
Training Cancellations
When the Crew organises training, if money is charged, the Training is being organised out of the good will of the Crew.
Members are strongly encouraged to attend these sessions that have been put on for their benefit.
This policy is overridden if it is an overnight event, by the overnight policies.
How to cancel: Message The Caving Crew ASAP
When to cancel: As soon as you can.
When you can get a refund: if you cancel, a refund will not be issued.
If you cancel after signup has closed, we’ll record your attendance as a “late-bail”, and if you don’t show up, we’ll record a “no show”.
Places are not re-saleable or transferable.
1 to 2 Night Overnight Trip Cancellations
Our overnight trips typically involve a great deal of organisation and organisation starts months in advance. Often the Crew accepts the risks of a significant deposit and there is then a great pressure to make sure the trip does not lose money for the Crew. Its often very hard, high pressure work for volunteers when people can’t make it or when people don’t come at last moment and unless the space can be filled, there’s a risk of the Crew losing money.
How to cancel: Message The Caving Crew ASAP
When to cancel: As soon as you can.
There is a £29 non-refundable deposit.
When you can get a refund:
For the first 36 hours after you sign up, you can get a full refund including the non-refundable deposit.
If you cancel 2 weeks or more before the event, we’ll give you a full refund minus the non-refundable deposit.
If you cancel 1 week before the event, and we’re able to fill your place, we will give you a full refund minus the non-refundable deposit.
If you cancel less than 1 week before the event, it’s unlikely we’ll be able to fill your place, as we’ll be busy organising the trip, and plans will have already been made that include you so you won’t get a refund.
If you cancel after signup has closed, we’ll record your attendance as a “late-bail”, and if you don’t show up, we’ll record a “no show”.
Places are not re-saleable or transferable.
3 or more Night Overnight Trips Cancellations
Our longer trips are often harder to organise, and include greater financial contributions from the Crew, very large deposits and work on the basis that everyone is working together in unison.
How to cancel: Message The Caving Crew ASAP
When to cancel: As soon as you can.
There is a 40% non-refundable deposit of your total trip cost.
When you can get a refund:
For the first 36 hours after you sign up, you can get a full refund including the non-refundable deposit.
If you cancel 4 weeks or more before the event, we’ll give you a full refund minus the non-refundable deposit.
If you cancel 2 or more weeks before the event, and we’re able to fill your place, we will give you a full refund minus the non-refundable deposit.
If you cancel less than 2 weeks before the event, it’s unlikely we’ll be able to fill your place, as we’ll be busy organising the trip, and plans will have already been made that include you so you won’t get a refund.
Places are not re-saleable or transferable.
International Trips
Our international trips are often harder to organise, and include greater financial contributions from the Crew, very large deposits and work on the basis that everyone is working together in unison.
How to cancel: Message The Caving Crew ASAP
When to cancel: As soon as you can.
There is a 50% non-refundable deposit of your total trip cost.
When you can get a refund:
For the first 36 hours after you sign up, you can get a full refund including the non-refundable deposit.
If you cancel 16 weeks or more before the event, we’ll give you a full refund minus the non-refundable deposit.
If you cancel 12 or more weeks before the event, and we’re able to fill your place, we will give you a full refund minus the non-refundable deposit.
If you cancel less than 8 weeks before the event, it’s unlikely we’ll be able to fill your place, as we’ll be busy organising the trip, and plans will have already been made that include you so you won’t get a refund.
Places are not re-saleable or transferable.
Social Events
Our paid social events are often harder to organise, and include greater financial contributions from the Crew, large deposits and work on the basis that everyone is working together in unison.
How to cancel: Message The Caving Crew ASAP
When to cancel: As soon as you can.
There is a 50% non-refundable deposit of your total social event cost.
When you can get a refund:
If you cancel 4 weeks or more before the event, we’ll give you a full refund minus the non-refundable deposit.
If you cancel 2 or more weeks before the event, and we’re able to fill your place, we will give you a full refund minus the non-refundable deposit.
If you cancel less than 2 weeks before the event, it’s unlikely we’ll be able to fill your place, as we’ll be busy organising the event, and plans will have already been made that include you so you won’t get a refund.
Places are not re-saleable or transferable.
Membership
Caving Crew Membership renews automatically on the 2nd of January at 00:01.
Caving Crew membership is not refundable.
How to cancel: Membership can be cancelled in your account on the website under Subscriptions
Refunds for Membership are only granted in very exceptional circumstances – e.g. accidentally signing up for two concurrent Caving Crew memberships.
Payment Plans and Deposits and Balances
When you sign up for a trip using a Payment or Deposit and Balance system, you are authorising our payment gateway to store your card details and take payments on the specified dates for the specified balances. This allows you to spread the cost of your trip over several months, whilst we can keep the overhead to the Crew low – by not having to chase people manually for payments.
It is only possible to use Payment Plans or Deposits and Balances when you keep up to date with the automatic system. If you fall behind with your payments due, your place on that trip will be at risk of cancellation.
You will receive an email asking you to pay, if you don’t pay within 10 days, your place will automatically be cancelled, and you will be refunded in line with the Cancellation Policy. Your place may be offered to other people. You will not be able to reclaim your place by paying the balance, but will have to pay the full price.
How can I get back up to date if I fall behind?
If a payment fails, you will need to make a manual payment to bring it back up to date, by logging into your account.
What if my card expires and I don’t notice?
You will get an email saying the payment has failed. Login to your account and pay for the failed payment, and everything will be back on track.
What happens if you have payments outstanding?
If you have payments outstanding, you won’t be allowed to sign up for any further trips until the balance is cleared. This is to make sure the money gets spent on the most pressing debt first, before spending it on anything else.
Frequently asked questions
Who can I contact to talk about this?
Messaging the Caving Crew
I got covid. Can I get a refund?
Sadly not. We have to take responsibility for our risk of exposure to covid.
Who makes the final decisions?
The Caving Crew Treasurer is the final word – if you think this policy has been applied inconsistently, feel free to email [email protected]
I didn’t realise Membership renewed?
Membership is automatically renewed every January. You can cancel in your account before 23:59 on the 1st of January.
Can I give my place to a friend?
No. Places are not re-saleable or transferable. If you cancel, we’ll put it out to whomever is next.
Can I get a refund for more than 100% of what I paid?
Under no circumstances will we issue refunds of more than 100% what was paid.
What if the event is cancelled or rescheduled by the Crew?
If the event is cancelled, we’ll offer 100% refunds.
If it’s rescheduled, we’ll give you a 100% refund. You will be welcome to sign up to other events which are currently available to sign up.
In general, given extreme weather and unusual circumstances, Crew events are much more likely to go ahead than be cancelled or rescheduled.